(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shoulder patting means with which one can pat himself on the shoulders or the like.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
There is conventionally known such shoulder patting means of the manually operated type in which a small mallet is attached to a back scratcher, i.e., a rod member provided at the tip thereof with scratching means, or a stick is connected to a coil spring to the tip of which a resilient ball is attached. Such conventional shoulder patting means has only one shoulder patting member such as a small mallet or a resilient ball.
As an effective massage method, there is practised a so-called two-stage patting according to which, with the palms faced to each other, the both hands are clasped each other while providing a space therebetween, and such hands are simultaneously brought down on the shoulders. According to such two-stage patting, immediately after the lower hand strikes the shoulder, the upper hand strikes the lower hand. The first strike is a mere massage in which a strike force is applied directly to the shoulder, while the second strike is transmitted to the shoulder through the lower hand as a cushion. Namely, the second strike may produce an effect similar to that obtained by a so-called finger-pressure treatment to be made with the hand pressingly applied to the body. It is known that a series of such two different actions which are continuously performed, produce comfortable vibration on the shoulder, thereby to relieve the stiffness in the shoulders more effectively than a simple single strike action.
However, it is not possible to obtain such two-stage patting effect with a conventional shoulder patting means having only one shoulder patting member.
In view of the foregoing, it has been long desired to develop shoulder patting means having such two-stage patting effect.